Christmas Kiss
by LillTidBitsOfRealisticFantasy
Summary: She was a girl who spent her holidays alone. He was a boy that hated Christmas. And just by luck, they have the best Christmas together. *Christmas one-shot! AU JARA!*


**Hello dearies!**

**I told my friends I was doing one-shots for all the (non)canon couples (AU or not) for the holidays which means…**

**I GOT A LOT OF PROMPTS!**

**Mostly from Ari, though Stars really wanted me to do a lot of Willow/Fabian fanfics. Lollypop wanted me to do a Jara first. So…yeah…**

**I **_**WAS **_**going to do that, now I'm just gonna make holiday one-shots. SO… here's the first one…**

***Drumroll***

**AU JARA!**

_**EDIT:Now, I realize this is after Thanksgiving so don't judge me!**_

* * *

He hated Christmas.

Ever since he was a teenager, he hated Christmas. He didn't see the point in wasting money on gifts and useless toys that kids would forget about the next day. He'd rather stay in his cubicle at work, drinking bad coffee and moldy donuts.

He scratched he cheek and worked on the records his boss had given him to look through. He rubbed his tired eyes and yawned. The light above him flickered and the office was empty, most of them went home to join their families for Christmas dinner or left early to take their kids on vacation.

"Jerome?" a voice asked.

"Yes Eddie?" Jerome asked back. He looked up at his friend who had tired eyes and shadows under his eyes.

"Can you do me a favor?" Eddie asked.

"Sure." Jerome sighed.

"I promised I'd picked up a friend and take her back to her house before I left but I got held back and need to get home to Patricia and the twins." Eddie said.

"You want me to pick up and take a stranger home?" Jerome said with a smirk. Eddie rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Just take her home." Eddie said.

"Alright, where is she?" Jerome asked. Eddie handed him a paper and muttered a quick 'goodbye' and ran towards the elevator.

_Rosewood High school_

_Sunny Drop Blvd._

* * *

25-year-old Mara Jaffrey gathered her things and took off her high heels. She tied up her hair and wiped off her cherry red lipstick. She grabbed her bag, threw away her lipstick-stained napkin and grabbed her high heel shoes and walked out of the classroom.

She ran towards the front door of the school and smiled happily. Light little flakes of snow drifted down towards the ground, piling up into one huge mountain. She watched each one pile on top of each other until she caught sight of man leaning against his car.

"Hello?" She asked opening the door.

"Mara?" He questioned.

"Yes." She said curiously. He pushed himself off the car and walked towards her.

"Eddie sent me." Jerome said.

"Let me guess…um pregnant Patricia and the twins?" Mara asked.

"Yep." Jerome said popping the 'p'.

"Nice to meet you." Mara said holding out her hand. The blond man took her hand and smirked.

"Jerome." He said. Mara nodded and looked into his blue eyes. She suddenly remembered her favorite color was blue, actually his eyes color was her favorite shade of blue.

"Shall we go?" Jerome asked. Mara snapped out of her thoughts and nodded. He opened the door for her and she climbed in. He quickly came over and started up the car.

"Where do you live?" Jerome asked.

"Anubis Lane." Mara answered. Jerome smiled and buckled up.

"I used to live in a house called Anubis."

* * *

Jerome parked the car in front of a blue painted house. It wasn't too shabby, large enough for a family of four probably. She lived all alone in the house. It was just her and her books and papers to grade.

Jerome let out a breath and closed the door. He nodded and Mara climbed up the steps to the door. Just as she was about to open up the door she turned around, with a twinkle in her eyes and a smile on her face.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Mara asked.

"No, no. I don't want to keep you." Jerome said. Mara rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Don't worry, I could use the company!" Mara said. Jerome flushed a light pink and walked towards her.

"Alright, just for dinner."

Jerome sat on the couch near the fireplace. It was nice and warm inside, the living small but comforting. Mara walked into the kitchen and took out some pots and pans. She groaned and fixed her skirt. She sighed and disappeared into another room.

"Got a problem?" Jerome called out.

"Just a sec!" Mara called back a few seconds later. Jerome smiled.

Mara came back in holding a folded pair of PJ's and put them on his lap. He cocked an eyebrow and she brushed her hair out of her face.

"Do you mind if I take a shower?" Mara asked shyly.

"It's fine. But…what's with the PJ's?" Jerome asked.

"I thought you might wanna get comfortable." Mara said with a smile. She skipped off with her own PJ's before he could even comment. He sighed and went into the other bathroom to change.

* * *

Mara brushed her wet midnight black hair. She grunted and pulled through another knot. She took a towel and started to dry her hair. She walked into the living room where Jerome sat on the couch reading one of the books from the _Caster Chronicles. _She smiled and placed her hair in a side ponytail.

"Are you enjoying it?" Mara asked. Jerome jumped and shut the book and sighed. Mara giggled and placed her head on her hand.

"Honestly…it makes no sense at all." Jerome said almost laughing. Mara took the book and looked at the cover. She scoffed.

"That's because you started right on the last book!" Mara said. Jerome and Mara started laughing their heads off.

For a moment they caught each others eyes. Jerome liked the way her eyes were dark but had the beautiful starlight in her eyes.

'_Snap out of it!' _the voice echoed in his head. Jerome cleared his throat and smiled at her.

"I better start supper." Mara said. Jerome nodded as she left the room.

"By the way, nice PJ's!" Jerome called out as she left the room.

Mara felt heat rise up in her cheeks as she looked down at her Puppy patterned PJ's.

Jerome finished off the last of his rice and beans and set the bowl on the floor nearby. Mara smiled and took a bite of her chicken.

"This is really good." Jerome complimented as he took a sip of the juice she had made.

"My mum always said to impress, you have to cook." Mara giggled. Jerome nodded with a smile.

"So Jerome…do you have anyone back home to stay with this Christmas? Cause I don't want to keep you if-"

"No, no! It's fine. I-well…" Jerome took a moment to think out his answer. "Well to be honest…I don't celebrate Christmas anymore."

"What!?" Mara exclaimed.

"I don't see the point." Jerome said. Mara crossed her arms over her chest.

"…Anymore?" Mara asked.

"I don't see the point in giving toys to kids who will forget about them as soon as they hold them their hands." Jerome replied.

"Kids at the housing homes never forget their presents. I visit each year and they always keep the old ones until they have to leave the house, then they give the toys to the next group children that come in." Mara explained.

"Yeah, but-"

"Jerome." It came out more as a warning. Jerome shrugged and took another sip of his juice.

"So," Jerome started.

"So?" Mara questioned.

"You're a teacher and you visit the housing homes each Christmas?" Jerome asked. Mara nodded.

"My mum and I used to do it each year until my little brother passed away." Mara said looking down at her hands that she was suddenly interested in.

"I'm sorry." Jerome said.

"It's not your fault." Mara said. There was a thick silence, so thick you could cut it with a knife. Mara finally looked up at Jerome and sighed.

"Well anyways…" Mara said awkwardly.

"Do you do this every year?" Jerome asked suddenly.

"What?' Mara asked.

"Stay home alone on Christmas." Jerome said.

"Well…I guess so. All my friends, like Eddie, leave for vacation or stay home alone with their families." Mara said taking a sip of her cocoa.

"Well you shouldn't." Jerome said stretching the 'well'. Mara rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Says the guy that doesn't even celebrate Christmas at all." Mara said. Jerome crossed his arms childishly and Mara copied.

"Well, if you want to celebrate Christmas, we have to do it the proper way!" Jerome exclaimed. Before even Mara could ask what he was doing, Jerome grabbed her hand and opened up the front door and took her out into the snow.

"Jerome!" Mara warned. Jerome was gone from sight. Before she could yell out his name again, she felt the icy cold snow hit her back.

"Jerome!" She yelled. Jerome smiled and came out the bush, looking like he had just been caught planning a prank on a teacher. Which he had.

Mara crouched down and created her own ball of snow. She threw at him forcefully, hitting him in the head.

"Sorry!" She yelled. Jerome just shook his head and laughed. He started making more snowballs and so did Mara. Jerome hit Mara in the back with a snowball again. She giggled and threw two more at him.

* * *

Fabian and Nina were getting ready to leave with their family on vacation when Nina spotted Mara throwing snowballs at a stranger.

"She's finally celebrating with someone this year." Nina said. Fabian came over and looked through the window.

"Isn't that Jerome from your boys' school?" Nina asked. Fabian squinted his eyes and smiled.

"He hated Christmas." Fabian said.

"Ohhh!" A little girl's voice said. Nina and Fabian turned around and saw their three daughters standing there with grins on their faces.

"Come here!" Fabian grunted as he picked up Alice, the oldest.

"Does Ms. Mara have somebody to spend Christmas with?" Alice asked.

"She sure does!" Erica, the youngest, exclaimed. Nina laughed and picked her up.

* * *

Mara and Jerome stumbled inside laughing and soaking wet. They leaned against the doorway into the kitchen and laughed to their hearts content.

"Thank you." Mara said suddenly. Jerome looked up with a smile on his face.

"For what?" Jerome asked.

"For the best Christmas ever." Mara said with a smile as big as his. Jerome and Mara hugged each other tightly. Mara leaned back but kept her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Oh and by the way, look up." Mara smiled. Jerome cocked an eyebrow curiously. He lifted his head and laughed.

There was mistletoe hanging up above.

"Merry Christmas, Jerome." Mara said.

"And a very Merry Christmas to you too." Jerome said.

Mara stood on the tips of her toes and Jerome leaned down, planting a sweet Christmas kiss on her lips.

* * *

_**And that was their first Christmas together.**_


End file.
